A variety of locking mechanisms exist for preventing unauthorised access to an enclosure such as a room, locker, cabinet and the like. Typically, such locking mechanisms employ a mechanical locking means that secures a door in position within an access space to the enclosure, with the locking mechanism being activated and deactivated by an authorised key or the like.
For convenience, the background to the invention and the invention itself will be referred to generally below in connection with handle assemblies for doors used to secure data centre cabinets containing server racks or other computer equipment. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this environment and has application in wider fields. For example, the handle assembly of the present invention may be employed in a variety of alternative applications, including security cabinets, medicine cabinets, access panels, security doors and standard doorways and the like to provide a locking feature thereto and still fall within the spirit of the present invention.
Electronic locking rather than mechanical locking is often desirable, especially in high security situations. Electronic locking has the ability to have more sophisticated user recognition procedures and can maintain a log identifying who has had access, for example. Electronic locking can incorporate useful subsidiary features, including the use of lights to signal locked/unlocked states and signals to alert to potential security breaches, such as when a door has not been locked.
Traditionally, the locking mechanism is often provided separately to the door handle. The door handle has thus traditionally been a relatively passive device that merely provides a gripping means for a user to open the door. Hence, it has often been necessary to separately activate/deactivate the locking mechanism after/before the door has been closed/opened. Whilst such arrangements have proven effective where there is sufficient space on the door to accommodate a handle and a locking means, in many cabinets and the like, such as switchgear cabinets used in switching distribution centres such as telephone exchanges, there is limited space available and as such there is a need to provide a simple system that can function as both a locking mechanism and a handle to permit access of the cabinet only to authorised individuals.
One development in this area has been seen in Published US Patent Application No. 20120169072 (Maguire), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. That invention relates to a handle for a door comprising a body mountable to a surface of the door; a slide member configured to be received at least partially within said body so as to slidingly move between a first position wherein the slide member projects beyond the body and a second position wherein the slide member is substantially retracted into said body; a fastening member mounted within said body so as to receive at least a portion of said slide member when the slide member is in the second position so as to lock said slide member in the second position; and a locking mechanism configured to prevent opening of the door when said sliding member is in the second position, wherein sliding movement of said slide member from said first position to said second position engages the locking mechanism to prevent opening of the door.
In one aspect, this present invention may be regarded as building upon the invention in US Patent Application No. 20120169072, in that it provides for a locking handle assembly suitable for data centre cabinets; the locking handle can be compatible with single or multi point locking.
Installation of data centres can involve significant capital outlay. A data centre may involve a large number of server racks, secured by many doors. Each door requires its own handle and locking mechanism. While electronic locking may be greatly preferred, for economic reasons a mechanical locking system may be installed, with the intention of upgrading to a more sophisticated electronic locking system in the future. However, prior art conversion procedures are costly and labour-intensive, since the mechanical locking system must be dismantled from the door, including removing the handle and disconnecting the handle from the locking apparatus, which may include gearing, multi-point locking, rods systems, etc.
It is an object of the present invention, at least in some embodiments, to provide a handle assembly which facilitates upgrade from mechanical to electronic, in a relatively economic way.
In particular, it is an object of the present invention, at least in some embodiments, to enable a mechanical handle assembly to be easily upgraded to an electronic version, without removing the handle from the door. In this way, upgrade time and costs may be reduced, with minimum interference with the way in which the door is secured to the cabinet, whether that involves gearing, multi-point locking or use of rod systems.
The above references to and descriptions of prior proposals or products are not intended to be, and are not to be construed as, statements or admissions of common general knowledge in the art. In particular, the above prior art discussion does not relate to what is commonly or well known by the person skilled in the art, but assists in the understanding of the inventive step of the present invention, of which the identification of pertinent prior art proposals is but one part.